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Security and Fraud Information

Security and Fraud Information

Day in and day out, our in-house compliance and fraud team is constantly monitoring transactions for any suspicious activity using our robust systems. The compliance team is always reviewing alerts from federal and local agencies about current scams so they can keep all bank employees aware. Additionally, retail staff have identity theft and red flags training, so they can be on the lookout for signs of scams and fraud against our customers.

Below, please find tips and resources on how you can take preventative measures to reduce your chances of being a victim of fraud:

It’s no secret that the days of writing checks have faded away over the years. In fact, according to the Federal Reserve, “the number of checks collected annually has plummeted 82% over the last 30 years.” Even with this steady decrease, banks issued approximately 680,000 reports of check fraud in the last year. This was a number nearly double what was reported in 2021.

In February of this year, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) issued an alert “notifying financial institutions on the nationwide surge in check fraud schemes targeting the U.S. Mail.” The statement noted that “criminals have been increasingly targeting the U.S. Mail and United States Postal Service mail carriers since the COVID-19 pandemic to commit check fraud.”

According to Frank McKenna, Chief Fraud Strategist at Point Predictive who has helped over 200 finance companies, banks, and lenders achieve reductions in fraud, check fraud will bring in over $24 billion in losses once 2023 comes to a close. This is a roughly 50% increase from the last time it was measured in 2018.

What is fueling this steady increase in check fraud? Opportunity. Check fraud is considered a “low-tech” crime and seemingly easy to pull off. The large pool of potential victims also plays a part. Checks at the well-known drop-off boxes or residential mailboxes are sitting ducks just waiting to be taken advantage of.

The amount of scams we see locally – nearly every day – is unnerving. Check fraud is sadly alive and well in our community. One form of check fraud in particular that appeared to be going away but is now back and more prevalent than ever is check washing, or the process of erasing details from checks to allow them to be rewritten. Often, check washing scams involve changing the dollar amount on a check or the payee name to fraudulently deposit them. Removing ink from checks is as simple as having access to chemicals as common as solvents that can be found in every day household items such as nail polish remover.

According to the United States Postal Inspection Service, postal inspectors recover over $1 Billion in counterfeit checks and money orders on an annual basis. The Federal Trade Commission states that “consumers lost nearly $8.8 billion in scams in 2022”, and the FTC received fraud reports from over 2.4 million consumers. Here’s some best practices and important reminders to help keep you from becoming part of these alarming statistics:

  • Monitor your accounts on a daily basis. Take advantage of Fleetwood Bank’s online banking so you can access your accounts and statements 24/7 via our mobile banking app. This allows you to keep an eye on whether or not a check has cleared.
  • When making purchases online, consider using your credit card instead of your debit card. Using your debit card could potentially give criminals direct access to your liquid funds.
  • Be on the lookout for phone scams! Often times, scammers will say you were “selected” as a winner or you need to pay taxes or some other debt over the phone immediately in order to avoid being arrested, fined or deported. Never give out your account number or social security number over the phone. The government only communicates through the mail, and Fleetwood Bank will never call you and ask for this information over the phone. If this happens, you should hang up and dial the main line at 610.944.7666 to notify a member of our team so we can put an alert on your account. Even if the caller ID says Fleetwood Bank, you should call us so we are properly notified. Phone numbers can easily be masked or changed in today’s world.
  • Be wary of gift card scams! These are currently popular, and they get even worse during the holiday season. If you receive a phone call asking someone to pay them with a gift card in order to do things such as keep your Social Security benefits, keep your utilities on, pay for a family member in trouble, pay bail or ransom, or avoid arrest or deportation you have been victim of a scam. Learn more at ftc.gov/giftcards
  • BanksNeverAskThat.com is another great resource that offers many tips and insight on what to look out for to avoid being scammed.
  • If you were scammed or think you saw a scam, it is recommended to report it to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

All cards issued by Fleetwood Bank are protected by Fraud Watch Plus, a program that provides industry-leading technology, tools and proven expertise to manage fraud. All transactions are evaluated in “Real Time” to determine if high-risk conditions are met. If so, the transaction is denied at the authorization level. If potential fraud is detected on your card, a fraud analyst will attempt to contact you immediately to verify if the transaction was authorized by you. In the event that you cannot be reached, they may temporarily block your card until you contact Fraud Prevention Services at 1-833-337-6075 to verify potential fraudulent activity. To ensure we can continue to reach you whenever potential fraud is detected, please keep us updated with your correct telephone number (home and mobile number), as well as your address at all times.

  • Traveling: Please alert us to any travel plans, and we will add a note to your account to avoid transactions from being blocked. If traveling internationally or making international internet purchases, we must be notified to set your card permissions for these types of transactions.
  • Lost or Stolen Debit Cards: Please call 1-833-337-6075 to report lost or stolen debit cards immediately. This will help prevent unauthorized transactions from occurring.
  • Mobile Card Services: With Mobile Card Services access through the Fleetwood Bank Mobile Banking App, you can set interactive controls to help monitor activity and prevent unauthorized use on your debit card. Customizable card monitoring and controls help you manage your accounts and help protect your accounts from fraud, with customizable alerts and services available 24/7.

How to Protect Yourself Against ATM / Debit Card Fraud

  • Review your accounts on a regular basis to keep track of your balance and account activity. Internet Banking and Mobile Banking are available 24/7 to allow monitoring your account activity at any time rather than waiting for your paper statement to arrive in the mail.
  • Know where your cards are at all times, and never leave your wallet or purse unattended. Do not let your card out of your sight when making purchases in a store or restaurant.
  • Keep your card, personal identification number (PIN) and password secure. Do not carry your PIN with your card.  Never write your PIN number down on a slip of paper that you keep in your purse or wallet.
  • Protect the privacy of your transaction. Do not let anyone see you enter your PIN while you are standing at an ATM. When entering your PIN, block the keypad with your other hand to prevent hidden cameras from recording your number.
  • Be suspicious. In the U.S. and abroad, criminals have used artificial fronts on ATM machines and cameras to steal card information and drain accounts. If you notice something strange about an ATM, skip your transaction and notify your financial institution.
  • Do not leave the ATM unattended for any period of time while your account is open.  People around you can withdraw money within seconds, while you are distracted.
  • Do not leave your receipts on the scene, even in the trash.  Thieves comb garbage cans for financial information.
  • Be sure to make online purchases only on websites that use the https protocol.  Look for a sign that indicates that the site is secure (e.g. a padlock on the address bar).
  • “Phishing” is a popular form of computer fraud that uses deception to get personal financial information from targeted individuals. The cybercriminal lures victims by creating emails, pop-up windows, and websites that appear to represent a legitimate business in order to obtain private information.
  • “Smishing” is a similar phish for personal financial information that is completed by sending a single message over a cell phone in the form of a text or voice mail. Never supply any personal information or debit card information requested in either format.

Our Mobile Banking product is both safe and secure. Fleetwood Bank takes every precaution necessary to protect your information. Below are some tips that you can do as well to protect your mobile device when accessing your banking information online:

  • Multi-factor authentication lets you set up challenge questions. If your account login does not recognize your device, it will not allow login without answering a challenge question.
  • Banking Apps are more secure than Online Banking because they do not use a web browser, therefore the Apps are resistant to phishing scams.
  • No sensitive data is stored on your mobile device at any time.
  • Protecting the data on your phone is important and easy to do:
    • Set the phone to require a passcode or finger print to unlock it.
    • Log out of your online banking or banking app after use.
    • Avoid sharing passwords, account numbers, or login ID.
    • Do not access your account information on public WIFI, as these are not secure.
    • Be sure to download the App from the App Store or Google Play and not a third party. Assure that the App is published by Fleetwood Bank.
    • Install anti-malware protection for your smart phone, tablet, e-reader or any other device that has mobile access to the internet.
    • Set up security alerts within your online banking which can alert via text, email or phone call for various activity, such as a password change or unsuccessful login attempt.

Tips on keeping your online banking secure with Fleetwood Bank:

  • Log in to your online banking account on a regular basis. It only takes a few minutes to keep track of your finances and ensure everything is okay.
  • Never use a public Internet “café” to do banking transactions. Never enter your social security number or account numbers if you are not on a secure computer. Keystroke loggers can obtain this information from what you type.
  • Never access Fleetwood Bank account information through a link that was sent to you via email. Even if this link looks authentic, it is not legitimate.  If ever in doubt, don’t give information out. Instead, call us at 610-944-7666, and we will verify whether we contacted you.
  • Don’t give out personal information if someone who claims to be from Fleetwood Bank contacts you by phone or email asking you for your account number or social security number. We, at Fleetwood Bank, would already know this information through our database, and we will never ask you for this information via phone or email.
  • Make sure when you connect to your Internet banking account that you see “https:” The “s” means that you are on a secure site. When logging into your online banking, you should be on the following site: https://secure.myvirtualbranch.com/FleetwoodBank/signin.aspx
  • Never save your password on your computer. Always type your password in. Also, to be more secure, change your password every three months. If you suspect a problem with any of your bank accounts, call Fleetwood Bank immediately.
  • Consider purchasing software to protect your computer, such as anti-spyware, firewalls, and anti-virus software to make your computer more secure from viruses or hackers.
  • Fleetwood Bank’s Internet banking has multi-factor authentication. This means when you sign into Fleetwood Bank’s Internet banking website, your profile and your computer information are securely stored to be recognized by our Internet banking system. If for any reason our Internet banking service suspects a problem, you will be asked security questions.
  • Please contact Fleetwood Bank immediately if you suspect any security issues with your accounts.
  • Business/Commercial customers should prepare their own annual risk assessment based on any ACH or Payroll transactions and also their authorized users within Internet Banking. Dollar limits and dual control features for Commercial customers are available within our Internet Banking system for added security.

Activating Cards and Pin Number Changes                          1-800-992-3808

Fraud Prevention                                                                     1-833-337-6075

Lost/Stolen Cards                                                                    1-833-337-6075

Lost/Stolen Cards – INTERNATIONAL                                     1-614-564-5105

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